


End of an Era

by handelgamer



Series: Restarts and Renewals - Tales of the Calamity [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: (wait), Aubinaux Larsonet (OC), Berold Grey (OC), Cecetu Cectu (OC), Elly Browne (OC), Gen, Mariko Zuriko (OC), Multiple Warriors of Light, Original Character Death(s), Reginald Carver (OC), Syngigeim Usynlonwyn (OC), U'lakata Lhea (OC), Usynlon Abarwintsyn (OC), and leave us with the emotional fallout, and then I avoid the biggest fight scene of them all!, just before the calamity, no fight scenes we jump cut like men!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-04-30 14:35:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14499129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handelgamer/pseuds/handelgamer
Summary: Only a few moments before the world ends. Make yourself ready and check on your friends.What shall remain after all is done?





	1. Face the end

     “The Grand Companies are asking for adventurers,” Aubinaux said into his group linkpearl. “The VIIth Legion is in disarray and attacking at rand-”
    
     “Tell me about it!” Elly shouted. The din of battle could briefly be heard as she shouted into the linkpearl.
    
     “I’ve already signed up,” Mariko said. “I sent word to Reginald as well.”
    
     “That pompous Ishgardian ass?” U’lakata asked. “I thought all of Ishgard was closing their gates and locking up tight. And Reginald seemed like a man to follow the orders from his fellow Dragoon.”
    
     “I think we’ve been a bad influence. He’s in.” Mariko said.
    
     “And has been listening in on this whole time courtesy of Mariko.” Reginald said. “I will have you know that Ishgard is as like to consider me a heretic now, defecting from rank like that. But to ignore that moon, to ignore destruction, and think yourself safe behind those stone walls is a folly I can not let go!”
    
     “Well hey, I guess I’m wrong about you then,” U’lakata said.
    
     “Told you he was a good guy.” Mariko said.
    
     “I’m not going as far as to say he’s a good guy though. Anyone who attacks my friends unprompted is still an ass.” She replied.
    
     “And done. Uh, Berold and I have signed up. I think there were whispers of putting us heroic heroes who faced the primals in the front,” Elly said.
    
     “I hope not. I’m a Bard, for Twelve’s Sake,” Mariko said.
    
     “You know what I mean,” Elly said.
    
     “Actually, I’ve managed to talk my father into going with me too,” Syngigeim said. “Mostly on account of wanting to look after me in battle.”
    
     “You still haven’t fought much at all Syngi.” Mariko started. “I mean, I’m really glad you’re going to be there but-”
    
     “But nothing.” Syngigeim said. “Same as whoever this Reginald is, I can still do something.”
    
     “Reginald is a Dragoon and more importantly, someone who has a lot of experience fighting.” Aubin chimed in.
    
     “Takes more than fighting to win a war,” Usynlon, Syngigeim’s father, spoke up and said.  
  
“Well technically, this isn’t a war, just a battle.” Elly pipped in.
    
     “There will be a need for people who can help on the sidelines,” Syngigeim said. “I’ll be with the main encampment, assisting in whatever way I can.”
    
     Cecetu pipped in at that moment. “Yeah uh, you’re going to have to count me out on actual fighting. At least outside of Ul’dah. Because uh, first things are going to- Thal’s Ball! Morbols! In Ul’dah!”
    
     “We’re near, Elly, Berold! Let’s go help!” U’lakata said into the linkpearl. Aubin was in Limsa Lominsa right now, just exiting the Maelstrom command after signing up for the Foreign Levy. Many of the rank-and-file seemed to look at him with wonder, being one of the fabled eight adventurers who slew Nael van Darnus. It...well, he wasn’t certain how to deal with this sort of admiration. For all of his life, he was hated. First as a bully and then as a vicious pirate. The looks of awe left him feeling ill at ease. Not that he deserved it anyway, with that damned moon still coming.
    
     Aubin looked up at the Bulwark, wondering how fast could he get to Ul’dah. Sure there was teleportation but that was always so much of a hassle. And what if there were more urgent calls to action than something than morbols. But then again, they were morbols. Those vile beasts. And within Ul’dah’s gates. How in the seven hells did that work out in the first place?
    
     A sudden image came into his mind. That of U’lakata. And her shouting at him. “You dolt! You didn’t come because it was too much of a hassle!” Aubin smirked at that. She was always tried to stress to her two friends to help others if you are able. Only so many adventurers around to help, or so she said.
    
     _“Ah screw it!”_ If morbols wrecking havock in Ul’dah was not a reason to teleport on over, he didn’t know what would be.
    
     -
    
     Eight blasted Morbols. Even with the help of other adventurers, and the full cooperation of not only Elly, Berold and U’lakata but also Mariko and Reginald, that was still EIGHT blasted morbols. He looked out over the markets, a ruined mess of bile and vines. A lalafell thamaturge with teal hair strode forth. Just from her hair, Aubin identified her as Cecetu. She strode forth, burning a lot of the excess vines but carefully putting some of the smaller cuttings in bags. “Thanks for that everyone,” Cecetu said, bowing to the group. “I’ve never thank you all enough for helping my mother with supplies, now have I?”
    
     “Well you’ve helped us a lot too, you know, with the White Raven and all,” U’lakata said.
    
     “Are you certain you aren’t going to join us?” Elly said, disappointment writ on her face.
    
     “Well while I fancy myself a decent spellslinger, I am not a warrior on peer with the likes of you two. Besides, I feel a stronger familial ties evidently than the likes of you all and can’t abandon my mother. And I expect Kaen will say much the same.”
    
     “Well how _wonderful_ for you and your friend,” Reginald spat at Cecetu, startling the group. “You certain you aren’t a coward hiding behind safe walls?!”
    
     Cecetu’s eyes narrowed. “I, for one, know my martial limits. I don’t believe we’ve met Ser...”
    
     “Reginald,” he said tersely.
    
     “Please, she meant no harm!” Mariko interjected, to calm him down. “Y-you haven’t seen around Thanalan right? Come on!” He said, pulling Reginald away towards the northern gate to Central Thanalan.
    
     “Mariko swears he’s not a jerk but honestly, I find it hard to believe,” U’lakata remarked.
    
     “Well, didn’t he mention that he practically is now a fugitive from his home in Ishgard now?” Berold pipped in and said. “He can’t go home anymore. I wouldn’t blame him for being like he is. Anyway-” he moved over to one of the fallen morbols. “I’m gonna help clean this help. You lot go on after those two.” waving at Aubin, U’lakata and Elly.
    
     Aubin nodded and strode away, forcing Elly and U’lakata to break into a light jog to catch up to him. They exited the north gate to find a stunning sight in front of them, one that even kept Mariko and Reginald enraptured.
    
     A great line of Goubbles was in front of Ul’dah. Many an adventurer was astride these beasts shouting proclimations for everyone to hear. 
    
     “We won’t let Ul’dah fall!” 
    
     “We stand together!” 
    
     “Down with the Garleans!” 
    
     “Long live the Sultana!” 
    
     “Long live Eorzea!”
    
     “LONG LIVE EORZEA!”
    
     A sniffle could be heard. “Oh sorry,” Mariko said, trying his hardest to hold back his tears.
    
     Aubin smiled. “Don’t be. Though I for one, find this crowd annoying.”
    
     Mariko nodded. “Right! To Northern Thanalan then?”
    
     Aubin nodded and together the five whistled for their chocobos. Together, they strode, passing many an adventurer gathering and a skrimish with the Garleans. Aubin felt his chest tighten, looking up at the sky, seeing that moon breaking through the clouds. _It would only be a little while now…_
    
     The five found a quiet place in the sands and just watched. Until Mariko thought to take out a harp and strum a song, of which he said he learned from a certain minstral…
    
    _To all of my children, in whom life flows abundant_
    _To all of my children to whom death has passed his judgement_
    
     And so he sang, and so they waited. No words spoken. No were needed. What would come, they would face together and even if death was their fate then so be it. They held hands as they awaited word from when the battle would be called.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna make this into a two-parter as I also want to do a scene just after the teleport spell casts our heroes into the future to witness a realm reborn.
> 
> Note, I have not played 1.0 at all so a lot of this is based on second hand accounts I've read and watched online. And I probably won't get into 1.0 tales that much because of it!


	2. What Remains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three Warriors of Light return into a realm reborn.

     The white light faded from his eyes and he saw green. A forest. Aubin clutched his head. It was that dizzying effect all teleportation spells seem to have on him. Mildly, he thought it was surprising that he felt no more worse than usual after being teleported from-
    
     It was then that Elly let forth such an anguished sob that Aubin had never heard before. He turned quickly around to see her on her hands and knees, crying forth in such pain. Tears fell fast onto the ground. He knelt down on her left side and wrapped his arm around her waist while Mariko, (oh thank the twelve he’s safe too!) put his hands on her shoulders.
    
     A scene flashed through Aubin’s eyes. Of he and Mariko and Elly clinging tightly to their lost friends, U’lakata and Reginald as they awaited the end. As they watched a horrid dragon destroy everything around them. But now…
    
     He heard music once more. Mariko was singing that song again. He sung it all through the battle and now he sung it once more. A requiem. How fitting.
    
    _To all of my children in whom life flows abundant_
    
     Aubin sat up straight and looked over at the Bard. During the battle, Aubin just felt the usual anger and rage that he learned to channel well into his fighting. But Mariko’s songs kept him grounded and going. He had to thank the Twelve that Mariko made it through this.
    
    _Ever flows the Land’s well of purpose_
    
     Elly began to slow her crying. Her eyes still filled with tears, she looked as if she wanted to hug Mariko close to her. Instead Aubin pulled her close, drawing her near with one arm. She sniffled, quietly as to not lose the music. They watched on as Mariko’s voice cracked with pain and he started crying while singing. He began belting the song and Aubin...Aubin felt himself losing within the pain of memories. So much devastation. So many lost. And all hopes lost…
    
    _Tell us why, given life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries!?_
    
     A tortured sob broke through Mariko and he began crying in earnest. Both Elly and Aubin ran over and rushed to him, all hugging each other close, as if they were the only ones left in the world now.
    
     A bit of birdsong broke through their mourning. And slowly the three broke off. They weren’t alone, weren’t they? And they were alive, right? Could they not see where they were, go and find their friends and family?
    
     “Could you finish the song?” Aubin asked Mariko. He nodded and closing his eyes, he finished the last few refrains…
    
    _Thy life is a riddle to bear rapture and sorrow_
    
     Kaen and Cecetu were in their home city-state. Soon a new adventurer would be in need of a new mentor.
    
    _To listen, to suffer, to entrust onto tomorrow_
    
     A ship was pulling into Limsa Lominsa. With it came, not only Louisoux’s family but also arcanists ready to step onto the stage.
    
    _In one fleeting moment from the land doth life flow_
    
     In the fields of Coerthas and the sands of the Sagolii, losses were felt but uncertainly so. Broken memories scattered through the land as only a scant few had a true recollection of what was lost…
    
    _Yet in one fleeting moment, full anew it doth flow_
    
     Five Warriors of Light took to Cartenaeu. Three survived, brokenhearted. But three more would rise to join hands with them. And journey forth once more…
    
    _In the same fleeting moment, thou must live, die, and know_
    
     -
    
     How long had it been since he had seen Tataru? Not since the his time with the Walkers. And that was a long time, he hardly remembered to check in on her when he got involved within the Maelstorm. “If you have no business here, I’d kindly suggest you leave. This is private property.”
    
     Aubin cleared his throat. “I am Aubinaux Larsonet. I’m here at the request of Y’sthola.”
    
     “Hmm. Have I heard your name before?”
    
     _Yes you have miss. You’ve knew me five years ago…_ Aubin had gotten used to biting back his tongue ever since the first time Balderon couldn’t place him.
    
     “Aha! Here’s your name! Oh and a special note from the Antecedent. Curious! Well, go down the stairs and right into the back!”
    
     He gave a curt nod as he headed down. Muffled chatter from behind a side door he glanced at. He wondered if he would recognize anyone behind there. But first things first. He must see her again. Y’sthola was a welcome sight back in Limsa Lominsa but...she couldn’t remember him. It hurt him more than he could ever let on, that no one would know that their savior, their Warrior of Light, yet walked among them.
    
     But still, she was here and if anyone would remember him, it would be her. He pushed the doors forward and then he saw her. She was talking on linkpearl to someone, some sort of business. He cared not. He strode towards the desk and suddenly she saw him. And smiled.
    
     “It’s been a long time Aubinaux. Welcome back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -kicks this series to the curb-
> 
> Kinda rushed out this one out late at night. And maybe I could have stuck it onto the main part rather than breaking it up into two. -shrugs- But, IT IS DONE. Until I do a similar set for Heavensward. :P


End file.
